News-Antique.com - Nov 30,-0001 - ATLANTA/LOS ANGELES, November 2, 2005 – To benefit victims of the Gulf Coast hurricanes, NBC’s “The Tonight Show” host and speed record setting Jay Leno will oversee the auction of a one-of-a-kind Porsche Carrera GT in conjunction with Christie’s, Porsche Cars North America, and the Petersen Automotive Museum. The event will be held on Friday, November 18, 2005 at 7:00 p.m. at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles.

The auction is being conducted to benefit Save the Children and proceeds will be used to help children affected by hurricanes Katrina and Rita. For more information about the event, please contact Neal Wilder, (404) 495-4512, neal@creaxion.com or Jonathan Barnes, (404) 495-4444, jonathan@creaxion.com.

“I’m increasingly humbled by the courage I see in the faces and actions of the children who have lived through the hurricanes,” said Leno. “My hope is that the money we raise through the auction will help these kids realize that they are not alone and will also give them some sort of sense of normality in a world that has been turned upside down.”

The Record-Setting Carrera GT
Leno and race driver David Donohue made history in the Porsche Carrera GT, the featured auction item, over the Labor Day holiday last September, just as the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina was coming into focus.

The pair set a series of Grand American speed records in the car at Talladega Superspeedway. Donohue set three flying speed records in the production category with the Carrera GT, including a closed-course speed record for the 2.66-mile track of 196.301 mph. He also set records for the measured mile, 198.971 mph and the measured kilometer, 195.755 mph. Leno set three standing-start speed records in the same car, the fastest being 156.603 miles per hour over the closed-course. Flying records are recorded from a rolling start, while standing speed records are recorded from a complete stop.

At the conclusion of the event, Porsche made the decision to donate the car for an auction to help the victims of the hurricane, and Leno committed his support.

Synonymous with racing success and truly formidable sports cars, the current range-topping Supercar; the Carrera GT is a continuation of the rich heritage the German marque proudly continues to evolve. The 2005 Porsche Carrera GT used for the record is Porsche’s ultimate in road-legal sports car. Built from ultra light but ultra strong carbon fiber, aluminum, magnesium and high-strength steel, the limited-production Porsche Carrera GT draws its energy from a mid-mounted, 5.7-liter V10 engine that generates 605 (SAE) horsepower. Like the engine, its suspension, ceramic brakes and ceramic composite clutch are all derived from Porsche’s racing experience. Porsche has delivered some 500 Carrera GTs to enthusiasts in North America.

The car was produced at the Porsche factory in Leipzig, Germany and was upgraded with safety equipment only, including a five-point racing harness and Michelin Pilot tires designed to handle the additional loads generated by the car in the severe banking at Talladega. The track was chosen becaus
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